The Hobyahs

by Robert D. San Souci

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who lived with an old man and woman and their five faithful dogs in a tiny house at the edge of a forest. Deep in the forest lived goblins called Hobyahs, plotting their mischief. Who would save the people in the tiny house when the Hobyahs came creeping out of the woods in the dead of night?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1993

About the author

Robert Daniel San Souci (October 10, 1946 – December 19, 2014) was a multiple award-winning children's book author, who resided in San Francisco, California. He often worked with his brother, Daniel San Souci, a children's book illustrator. He was a consultant to Disney Studios and was instrumental in the production of the film Mulan, for which he wrote the story. He studied folklore in graduate school. He died after suffering a head injury while falling from a high height in San Francisco in December 2014. He was only 68 years old.

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like San Souci himself, I thought Hobyahs were Australian until I read up! He has an explanatory note: it's originally an English story and can be found in Joseph Jacobs. I won't look for it, as apparently it has some serious dog mutilation (by humans, not hobyahs). I'm glad San Souci adapted it so that the little girl and the dogs live happily ever after.

It would have been scarier if the hobyahs didn't wear brightly striped smocks.

[Mariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silent as the snakes that glide across the forest floor,
Silent as the will-o'-wisps that haunt the reedy shore,
The Hobyahs came....

Furry monsters plot between their pointed ears. Between their hungry fellows they exchange knowing plans. Rumble in my tummy pass it on. The nothing that escapes their sharp teeth is a sound relative of darkness threatening to make you take its place. They have the kind of eyes that foretell entrails and blood to sop up the fleshy bits. Waiting in bushes eyes. To me they look like melted cats with cat's eyes. Glass marbles they call cat's eyes, not real cat's eyes. If they didn't have real eyes then they probably see out of the backs of their heads. They probably did that anyway. It's their making all the words go away style. The story doesn't say that, though. It's the good old fashioned kind of monster story that gives you enough to keep going in your nightmares after the story has ended. It's in the allusions to natural predators. Spiders floating in time for the daydreaming flies. Hawk shadows capturing the little birdie shadows. The tails of The Hobyahs remind me of monkeys. There's a nature park not too far away from where I live called Silver Springs. It used to be a run down theme park with animal attractions. Anyway, the monkeys would get loose and eat all of the other animals. I don't know why these scheming dinner dreams aren't shown infesting the tree tops with you're not safe don't daymare about other kinds of devourers because we're coming to get you ha ha. They totally would. I'm not sure about their striped nightgowns. I guess it works in the way that they have this secret world. Sign language style. The shadow world of predator on prey and this world goes on at the same time as the hunt and the aborted fight for life.

The Hobyahs are a recurring nightmare. An old man and an old woman sleep in their bed inside their hemp stalk house when they come to know what The Hobyahs are all about. The old people have an adopted little girl living with them and five dogs, named Turpie, Topie, Tippy, Tarry and Teeny. They speak in well meaning (if you come from the land of the please don't eat me) barks of danger. Old man knows nothing about The Hobyahs and he threatens to beat the loudest dog, Turpie, out of home. The little girl pleads for him and it's no good. The looks of the old people didn't do anything for me. It's all about the dogs. Turpie hunches on the ground with that killer dog tongue lolling out of his mouth. He looks more understanding than every understanding teddy bear anyone has ever owned put together. Off into the forest he goes. Next time it's the old woman. I probably shouldn't be too judgemental since I've yelled at my dog a lot for (he thinks) asserting his dominance over neighbor dogs with nighttime barking. For all I know that stupid pug is insulting my outfits and my baby.... Nah, that's not what's happening. I didn't care too much about if the old people get eaten. When I see flies spun up in spider webs I feel as much of a shiver of "Glad that's not me" than I wish it were still flitting from to and fro. I want to know why the dogs took turns in barking the loudest. Each time one of them is run off another one is taking up the cause of loudest dog who cried Hobyah. Topie has this great I'm so scared look when it's him. If you saw him up for adoption he'd be really good at getting you to take him home. Tippy looks like he'd say "I can't believe this is happening to me too! Why won't you listen? Ow! That rope hurts!" Tarry and Teeny hold off the jammie wearing threat. Old man keeps saying "If I live till morning, I will drive you off just like the others." Why does he always think one lousy nights sleep is going to finish him off? The Hobyahs get him and make off with the little girl. I don't speak Hobyah so I don't know why they put her in a sack in their den. Maybe they'd have a fancy supper when they woke up if the dogs didn't arrive outta the woods to save her. Hobyahs sleep in the daytime. Wow, no one likes to miss sleep in this story. It's great when the little girl gets to live with the dogs. Their tongues loll out of their mouths. Their sweet teddy bear glass eyes promise eternal devotion. Lucky girl. I think my favorite is the first loud dog, Turpie. He's the most devotedest of them all, since he took up the cause for the fellow doggies.

I haven't read any other version of The Hobyahs so I don't know what is author Souci's and what is a history of invading Hobyahs, here to stay because you nightmared about them too often and they liked hearing about themselves so they stick around to feed on you. In the author's note he says he learned about The Hobyahs from the Australian film Celia. Me too! I loved that movie so much I couldn't stand it. It's much more than The Hobyahs (if this were a film site it'd be so great to relive the movie like I get to relive books by writing about them) but there's this little girl Celia who is taken over by their story (her teacher has read it aloud in class and then they go home with Celia). They looked a different kind of monster in the film. I am impressed by this illustrator Alexi Natchev in seeing The Hobyahs as the eater you could slip into just like another nature. Celia's Hobyahs are all you're the rabbit. But it had this incredible the folklore is belief and it's attached to new times and gotten stronger. I am all for new versions of tales when it gets to happen like that.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silent as snakes that glide across the forest floor,
Silent as the will-o'-wisps that haunt the reedy shore,
The Hobyahs came . . .

Some creepy-lookin' critters want to "tear down the house of hemp stalks, eat up the old man and woman, and carry off the little girl" who live inside. Luckily, there's a pack of friendly dogs determined to keep that from happening. But, alas, the old man is getting sick of their barking all night, and he's slowly driving them all away.

Fun, mildly frightening story for fairy tale fans who prefer their stories a little bit on the dark side.

[Mary Catelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A retelling of an unusual British folktale with reasonable illustrations.

The title Hobyahs' attempts to attack a family are at first foiled by dogs, but the old man and old woman complain of the barking, and things go downhill from there.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the alliteration in the poetic lines--a good story structure with repeated elements of the dogs being driven away one by one--though very scary when the goblin-like creatures in the woods gobble up the old man and old lady. I liked the poetic justice of the dogs returning to save the little girl in the end--that was the one bright spot in an otherwise rather hopeless/ominous story.

[babyhippoface · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read-aloud, scarier for 1st graders than 2nd graders. Whispering in the right places, and using raspy Hobyah voices help maintain the tone. (The dogs' names annoy me, but that's a personal preference.)

[Emily Reaves · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Hobyahs is a folktale that draws readers into the world of an eerie, supernatural creature. The story follows a young girl and her family who are plagued by the mysterious and unsettling presence of the Hobyahs. I would recommend this book for 4th and 5th graders, though it can be enjoyed by anyone. It is a great introduction to folklore and mythological creatures, offering a chance to explore the origins and roles of such beings in different cultures.

[Francesca Pashby · Rating 4 out of 5]

How funny!

In the afterword, the author writes "the Hobyahs have intrigued me since I first came across a reference to them in the fascinating Australian film, Celia" ... which is EXACTLY what led me to this book!

So the Hobyahs seem to have come originally from folklore (possibly Scottish), and whilst this version is not as dark as the one in the film (whereby little dog Turpie loses his head), it is still a nice, creepy tale.

[Sara Trump]

This book is the perfect book for students to read during Halloween! With the perfect lighting and voices changes, this book can be a fun and spooky activity for young children! I think that teachers should use this book as an opportunity to research the different types of animals mentioned throughout the story!

[Maddie L Colvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was exciting but also a little scary. It tells the story of the Hobyahs, strange creatures that come at night to cause trouble. The tale keeps you guessing what will happen next and shows the importance of paying attention to warnings. I liked the dark, spooky feeling of the story, and I think readers who enjoy folk tales or scary stories would like it too.

[Kest Schwartzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

the monsters are great. The rest is tepid

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slightly scary tale, based on an Australian version of a Scottish folk tale. The Hobyahs are planning an attack on an old man, old woman and young girl. San Souci adds some poetical phrases to add to the menace as well as a repetitive refrain chanted by the Hobyans to add to the read out loud aspect of the book

[Marcie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good scary Halloween read.

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

One folktale with a very solid moral everyone should learn from--appreciate your dogs.

[Shiori Kimura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a kind of folklore book. Hobyahs were a little bit scary in the story. However, I think elementary students can enjoy reading this book because it is easy to understand.

[Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one could be used at Halloween.